Manifestation
by Sokuryoko Kajo
Summary: Noya wasn't a Possession-type Cursed Gear, but a Manifestation-type and the curse Guren receives from Noya is "The Gamer." [Gamer!Guren] Starts at Volume 4 of Guren Ichinose: Catastrophe at 16 and continues onward.
1. The Cursed Gear

**[001] The Cursed Gear**

It was dark and Guren couldn't see anything other than the outline of his own body. Even that was hard to see.

A voice spoke to him in his head. It was a clear, steady, warm, angelic voice.

"You already know that you can't fulfill your life ambitions. So what do you intend to do?" The voice asked.

 **A glowing blue panel appeared in front of him. It said:**

 **Please choose one from the following options.**

 **1\. Give up.**

 **2\. Keep trying even if you know it's meaningless.**

 **3\. Forcefully fulfil it even if you break the rules - such as murder, betrayal, theft, selling your soul to the devil, etcetera.**

Ichinose Guren reached out his hand and pressed option 3.

The panel disappeared.

"In front of your eyes, a darkness you cannot overcome appears. With your human's body, you cannot advance. In this situation, what do you do?" The voice asked again.

Another blue panel appeared. It read:

 **Please choose from the following choices.**

 **1\. Give up on being human.**

 **2\. Give up on being human.**

 **3\. Give up on being human.**

If it was to save his friends then he would reach out forbidden power. Even if he lost his mind and became a demon, he would grab onto the power. So that he would not lose anything important to him, he was willing to give up his humanity. Guren pressed option 1.

In the next moment, Guren thought he heard a strange sound.

Kacha, the sound of a gear turning.

A gear turning towards destruction.

An end.

Apocalypse.

The sound of an angel's trumpet, as though unable to forgive the desires of man.

 _***Manifestation***_

Guren opened his eyes to a completely white world.

"Where am I?" He looked around and whispered.

"...in your heart~!"

A voice behind him answered. It had a high pitch, like a kid's, and it was all excited and cheerful.

Guren turned around and saw a boy around twelve years old. He had pale skin, scarlet eyes, and red hair. There were a pair of horns sprouting from his head and words floating above his head.

 **Lv.46 Noya**

"You're the demon." Guren said.

"Yup." The demon said.

"Are you here to possess me?"

"That's an ugly way to put it. I'm here because you're the one who wanted me here."

The demon laughed merrily and Guren couldn't argue with that. He was the one who needed power. That was why he had sought out the demon even though he knew that he shouldn't have touched such power.

"I'm very glad that Guren wants me. If you want power then I'm your best choice. Together with me, Guren would definitely become strong." The demon smiled.

It stepped forward, and darkness diffused across where the demon walked.

"..."

It felt as if everything he held hear to him had evaporated. It felt as if irreplaceable things such as warmth and humanity were gone. He was struggling with the demon for control. For every step the demon took forward, Guren felt his humanity decrease. If he lost, then he would become a demon whose only desire was to kill and cause destruction.

"Don't come any closer, demon." Guren ordered.

The demon grinned mischievously, "Ahhahaha. Nope. I'm coming closer now."

The demon took another step and his rationality decreased again.

"I will not lose to you."

"I'm not your enemy. You're the one who called for me. It's Guren who wanted power and sought me out."

The demon took another step and his rationality declared yet again.

Guren glowered at the demon.

"Don't say my name so casually, demon."

"Nah. We're going to be together for the rest of eternity. Oh, can you guess my name?"

The demon came nearer and his rationality dwindled.

Guren didn't even notice that the pristine white world had been painted pitch black.

Pitch black darkness enveloped the entire area.

His heartbeat and breaths increased.

He could feel excitement and fear bouncing around in his body.

This was desire.

"Noya." Guren said. It was the word floating above the demon's head.

"You're right," the demon laughed, "how did you guess?"

The next thing he knew, Noya was already standing in front of him. Another inch forward and the demon would bump into his body. His head was near Guren's waist and the demon was looking up with palpable excitement.

There was only one more inch remaining, but Noya stopped and said.

"Gure, I want you to close the last inch by yourself. I want you to desire me, hug me, and accept me with your heart and body. With that, you will…"

The demon laughed mockingly.

"…..Be able to protect everything."

His words were alluring.

"Mahiru, your father, your subordinates, friends and even your dignity. You've managed to protect none of them. With my power you could protect all of them."

Guren looked at Noya.

Noya was smiling happily.

Guren didn't have the power to protect anyone. He didn't have time left for second thoughts and hesitation.

Noya was smiling, fully aware of this.

"Ah, are you saying that you want to continue denying it? I like those type of people too. The people who, in order to protect themselves, live in in an ugly world of denial. However, I head that Guren was different. "

"From who?"

"Mahiru. She said that you are gentle, beautiful, humane and cute. That's why you will definitely come over to this side. Her words are true. I've liked you the moment I saw you. That's why I let you see this."

Noya pointed at the words floating on top of his head and eyed the space above Guren's.

Guren tilted his head back.

 **Lv.32 Guren Ichinose**

"What is this?" Guren asked.

"I'll tell you if you close the last inch." Noya giggled. "You are imaginative, gentle and frail. No wonder you make people like you without hesitation. If you partner up with me, you can become strong immediately!"

"….."

"Well, we don't need to rush. You are going to become a demon anyway. Even if you don't close the distance now, you are still going to do it. The power of the demon is already corroding your body."

"…."

Guren looked at the demon. This was all progressing according to Mahiru's plans and the world of darkness she envisioned. He couldn't do anything. He couldn't resist fate. He had no time left.

The demon was waiting for him to close the last inch. If he made the contact with the demon, he would no longer be human, but if he left Mito, Goshi, Sayuri, and Shigure to die, he wouldn't feel human either.

Either way, he would have to give up his humanity.

"I chose to move forward. No matter what."

Noya looked up with a happy expression and opened his palms.

"Then come Guren and give up your humanity."

Guren touched Noya and held him by the throat.

Noya laughed with joy.

"Ahe, Guren. That was the wrong answer. You're human, so giving up your humanity is unacceptable. You really are cute~"

Guren's eyes widened, but it was already too late. The darkness had finished engulfing everything.

"By the way, Guren, those words that you saw above our heads is my gift to you. It's the ability I give to you. It's called _The Gamer._ "

Guren felt an abnormal surge of power in his body.

 _***Manifestation***_

When Guren opened his eyes, he was no longer in the world of black and white.

 **Lv. 32 Guren Ichinose**

The words above his head. What did Noya mean about ability? Guren didn't have time to ponder on.

There was a sword in his right hand, a blade with Noya residing in it, and a motorcycle fitted with engines beside him. They were all prepared by Mahiru.

A loud sound could be heard.

Dong. Dong. Dong. Dong.

The sounds of war could be heard across the street. The sound of the Kyakuya Sect and the Order of Imperial Demon killing each other.

He was currently situated at Ikejiri, Setagaya, Tokyo. In the city centre. To start a war in a place like this would be very conspicuous, but it had already started and he couldn't have cared less.

Was it because of the demon in his body? If he wasn't mistaken, then the amount of demon poisoning in his body should have reached a lethal level.

He wanted to kill.

He wanted to destroy.

He wanted to make them bleed.

"….Uncomfortable. Looks like I need a sheath to suppress these desires."

Guren muttered as he hopped onto the motorcycle.


	2. Shibuya in Flames

**[002] Shibuya in Flames**

Guren raced towards First Shibuya High School like a madman. He accelerated as fast as he could and was weaving around both people and vehicles at top speed. Around him civilians were fleeing in fear and confusion as soldiers from the Order of Demon and Hyakuya Church openly slaughtered each other in the open.

A voice called behind him.

"Stop right there!"

Lightning strikes were hurled at him. Guren weaved, turned and didn't stop his acceleration as he dodged the attacks. This turned out to be a mistake when a strike went unnoticed and couldn't halt his momentum to serve out of the way.

Guren raced towards First Shibuya High School like a madman. He accelerated as fast as he could and was weaving around both people and vehicles at top speed. Around him civilians were fleeing in fear and confusion and soldiers were openly slaughtering each other.

His motorcycle exploded and Guren went tumbling into the streets. Guren coughed out blood and pushed himself up.

 **4686/5050** An semi-transparent HP bar went down in the side of his vision.

He was surrounded by five Hyakuya Church soldiers.

 **Lv. 24 Hyakuya Soldier**

 **Lv. 23 Hyakuya Soldier**

 **Lv. 19 Hyakuya Soldier**

 **Lv. 27 Hyakuya Soldier**

 **Lv. 18 Hyakuya Soldier**

"What is this, a game?" Guren muttered and raised Noya in an offensive stance.

 **Tutorial Quest: Defeat the Five Hyakuya Soldiers**

 **The Hyakuya Soldiers and Order of Demon have brought their war into the public eye and invaded First Shibuya High School. In order to rescue your friends you must first defeat the soldiers blocking your way.**

 **Quest Objectives: Defeat 5 Hyakuya Soldiers**

 **Rewards: 6.7% Exp. + 5000 yen + 6 Extra Stat Points**

 **Failure: Death**

 **[Accept]**

 **[Decline]**

"KILL HIM!" A soldier charged at him.

Guren smirked. Hitting _[Accept],_ he side stepped the soldier's slash and cleaved his body in half with Noya. Game or not, he needed power to save him friends. He had already sold him humanity for that power. His sanity was just the next step.

Before the rest could react, Guren had slashed off one's head and with a roar he stabbed another through chest. His opponents tried to counter, but Guren was too fast. He was out of their league and with a flick of the wrist, the other two were dead as well.

 **Turtorial Quest: Defeat the Five Hyakuya Soldiers Complete**

Guren continued toward the school on foot. Even without the motorcycle, the rest of the world was a blur as he ran.

"No, don't! Guren-sama, don't come over here!"

Guren heard Shigure shout as he speed into the school courtyard.

 **Lv. 24 Shigure Yukimi**

 **Lv. 24 Sayuri Hanayori**

He looked up and saw his subordinates, stripped of half their clothes, being restrained by Hyakuya soldiers and saw red.

 **Quest: Save Your Friends**

Guren didn't spare the screen an extra look. He punched _[Accept]_ jumped towards the roof and before he had even landed, he had killed all the troops on one side.

With a single swing of his blade, he had killed three men.

"En- enemy… " The speaker died. Guren pieced the man right through the mouth and moved towards the soldiers who had been about to violate Sayuri.

He sliced them all in half before they could register what was going on. None of them were over level 25. Shigure and Sayuri would have been able to beat them all up if it weren't for superior numbers.

"... Gu, Guren-sama…"

Guren turned towards Shigure. She was staring at Guren in shock. Guren looked down at her, but did not say a word. She looked very appealing.

"Hey, we have hostages…" The man holding Shigure spoke up.

Guren moved. The speaker fell with a gentle wave of his blade.

Another man aimed his gun at Guren, but he found that his hand had already been cut off and was spinning through the air along with his head.

It was all too easy. Like they were all children walking for the first time. It was so easy to kill them all. The feeling was addicting. The blood spilling from them was beautiful. He wanted to kill more.

Another man attempted to take the chance to escape, but he was immediately pinning to the rook by the blade through his back.

"Wuuu… Help, help me!"

He screamed.

Guren took hold of Shigure's hand and gently pulled her up.

"Ah…"

Guren glared at the man.

"... Do not touch my woman with your filthy hand."

He killed the man.

Lust was swirling around his body and Shigure's uncovered lower half wasn't helping at all. Noya was tempting him, he realized. The demon was influencing his thoughts and trying to take control.

"...My, my… That…"

Shigure stumbled along her words. Her face went bright red.

"Gu, Guren-sama. About the current situation…"

"No need. Shut up. I'll kill all the enemies."

Guren said and flicked the blood off his blade. He had to do this fast, before the demon took control over him completely.

"Gu, Guren-sama!"

Sayuri stood. She was also half-naked and drenched crimson by blood. The lust within him grew to exponential levels.

"... Damn, blood can also trigger lust… This body…"

He murmured.

"...Um, Guren-sama?"

Guren replied, "Don't come near me. You'll be attacked by me."

He couldn't trust himself to keep under control.

"Eh, that…"

"I told you not to come near me!"

He shouted and they stopped.

Saito clapped his hands.

 **Lv. ? Rigr Stafford**

"Amazing. To reach this stage...This is better than I had imagined. How does it feel? The poison of the Cursed Gear. How does it feel to have given up your humanity?"

If Guren was honest, it felt amazing. Power like he had never felt flowed through his body. But it felt all wrong. Power for the wrong reason. Guren stopped thinking about that, he would think himself in circles.

Saito. He had always known that Saito wasn't his actual name. Was his real name Rigr Stafford?

Shigure spoke behind him in a small voice.

"...Could it be, to save us?"

Guren looked at her in sadness. He was glad that she was alive, but…

"... Ha, don't think so highly of yourself. You're just a servant."

He knew it was a lie even as he said it.

Saito spoke.

"… Let me take the chance to ask, what stage are you at? How much of you is still human and how much has been lost?"

Guren stared at Saito.

"… You, are you one of Mahiru's?"

He wasn't sure who he was with. Whether the Hyakuya Sect or Mahiru.

"No no, I'm from the Hyakuya Sect."

"Don't lie. Never mind, you'll tell when you get tortured later."

Guren tightly gripped his blade.

But Saito, no Rigr, only laughed and spread his hands.

"We couldn't finish it, but what do you think of its performance? The forbidden strength feels better than expected right? You rescued your subordinates. Originally, I wanted to make you fall even deeper into despair by violating them and hurt the until they could never stand up again and teach you the pleasure of revenge as well."

Guren charged. In an instant, the smiling Rigr's body was cut into two. However, the upper half of Rigr's body remained floating in midair smiling.

"How strong, how strong, really strong~ What wonderful movements. In that case, one day you may even progress to being able to kill vampires."

His body turned to dust and scattered. It was an illusion spell. Guren watched on and smiled darkly. Adrenaline raced through his body. This wasn't like the goons he had just killed. This person was strong. Stronger than him. In his open mouth, pointy teeth grew.

Just like a vampire.

Just like a demon.

Guren taunted. "You can't escape. I can sense where you are, Rigr Stafford."

With a wave of his sword, Rigr could be seen standing in the midst of the scattered smoke.

He wasn't wearing a smile anymore.

"How do you know that name?"

"Oh, a demon whispered it in my head." Guren smiled and he could hear Noya laughing in the back of his mind.

Rigr launched chains at Guren with incredible speed. He is barely able to defect the chains even with the power of a demon. Was this from the Hyakuya Branch's experiments as well?

Guren launched himself at Rigr with his sword raised.

The man disappeared and Guren suddenly felt pain erupt in his abdomen as he was punched away. He skidded across the roof and pushed his sword into the concrete to stop himself from flying off the roof.

Guren coughed out blood as he grinned like a madman. "Ah hahaha hahah."

"Oh, what did Guren say to make you so mad?"

Guren looked next to Rigr and his grin disappeared. Next to him was a beautiful girl wearing the uniform of First Shibuya High. She had gleaming long, grey hair, twinkling elegant eyes, and a lovely pale mouth.

She was Guren's recent lover - Mahiru Hiragi.

 **Lv.39 Mahiru Hiragi**

She smiled with an expression of utmost happiness. As though delighted. She gazed at Guren tenderly.

"No. It's nothing." Rigr's face was carefully blank.

Mahiru shrugged.

"… Guren. There isn't much time left. If you don't hurry up, you're going to be late. Jujo-san is awaiting you in the audiovisual room. As she was nearing death, she said something about wanting to be embraced by you, all those sentimental thoughts were revealed. So, just like you did to me earlier, go embrace her."

With a sobbing tone, Sayuri asked.

"What, what on earth, to Guren-sama… did you do!?"

Mahiru smiled and answered.

"The thing you've always wanted to do, we've already done it. If you're jealous, why don't you also try it in future?"

"Stop joking!"

Sayuri called.

But Mahiru seemed not to notice.

"Ah, aah, aaah. I know. You live every day just thinking about this kind of thing right?"

Guren felt a bit of rational return to him. Mahiru was toying with his subordinates, grinning down at them as if they were prey. She was using illusion spells. On the roof, she was using spells to manipulate one's heart.

"Sayuri! Calm down!"

Shigure seemed to have realized it as well, but it was too late.

Mahiru had already moved beside Sayuri and was whispering into Sayuri's ear. Tears gathered in the corner of Sayuri's vision and Guren's eyes widened in panic when Mahiru pulled out a short blade.

A short completely black blade that Sayuri was staring hungrily at. There were talisman all over the roof and they were all being controlled by Mahiru.

Gurn charged and sliced towards the smiling Mahiru.

Mahiru drew the katana at her waist and blocked Guren's strike. The only thing one could hear was the ringing of steel against steel. Mahiru's slender left leg penetrated the floorboards.

Guren said.

"I'll kill you."

"Ahahahahahahahahahaha!"

Mahiru pulled out the short black blade and tossed it towards Sayuri.

Guren reacted immediately.

"Wu…"

His left hand closed over the short blade. That blade sliced his palm, and blood droplets flew through the air. The blood was black.

Mahiru smiled.

"Ahaha, I really love the you who will protect humans even now, Guren. I love the greedy you. I love the you who wants to obtain everything, but will obtain nothing in the end. That's why, I will let the demon's poison seep even deeper into you."

Guren's hand, holding the short blade, was dyed black in an instant.

"Wu, ah, ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!?"

He howled painfully.

"Guren-sama!?"

Shigure yelled in distress, but Guren could not hear her.

Guren knelt on the floorboards, his hand painfully clutching his chest. The balance between his own free will and the demon's had been disturbed. Noya's voice pounded against his skull and from his head a single horn was slowly growing.

 **You have been infected by a demon.**

 **You have been infected by a demon.**

 **You have been infected by a demon.**

The blue panels appeared in his vision. Mahiru pointed at Sayuri and told Guren.

"It's painful isn't it? Then kill that woman. Then you can reduce your pain a little."

Her words sounded very convincing. Guren stood up, the panels closed by themselves, and his vision blurred.

"Guren-sama! Please don't listen to that woman! If you must kill, please kill me first! Come here and please kill me!" A voice called out to him. Guren looked that way and took a step.

The pain was too much. He wanted to kill and kill and kill and experience happiness.

"Ah, ah, no! Kill me instead!" The original voice joined in.

The had to kill Sayuri.

Sayuri?

Guren's movements stopped. He raised his blade and brought it down towards Mahiru.

Mahiru blocked that blade and jumped backwards quickly.

"Oh my, even with the potency of this demon, he can still regain his mind… Amazing. You really are amazing… But that is unfortunate."

Mahiru wore an expression of happiness again and laughed.

 **You have been infected by the demon.**

Guren spoke painfully.

"… Move aside, Ma, hi, ru. It will not… Be like you planned…"

He was ashamed. He had nearly killed his own subordinate.

But Mahiru interrupted him.

"Yes. It is not as I planned. Because I let everything go as you planned. After that, you will gain suitable strength. The strength to fight and fight and fight, then you will gain the kind of happiness that you cannot turn away from."

Mahiru leapt onto the railing.

And just like that, she vanished before their eyes. Rigr followed without a word.

With that the battle suddenly came to an end.

"… Fu, fu, fu, fu…"

Guren panted in pain. Slowly, he cast his gaze towards the entrance to the roof from the school. He had to go save Mito and Goshi. They were still in danger. His brain was in a haze, but he still knew that he had to do that.

Shigure spoke.

"Guren-sama, please go to Aichi! Let's regroup at Aichi! We cannot remain here!"

It seemed that Sayuri was of the same opinion.

"Guren-sama, please calm down and listen to us!

Sayuri grabbed Guren's arm.

Shigure also ran over to them.

Guren forcefully pushed them away. With just that action, Sayuri's body flew many meters away.

"Ah"

Kneeling painfully, Sayuri rolled on the floor.

Shigure picked up her weapons and a few spell talismans. She tossed them out, intending to bind Guren.

Guren looked at the attack. It was too slow. With just a small movement of his body, all of Shigure's attacks were easily blocked.

"… Shi, gu, re."

"I'm begging you, Guren-sama! Don't go!"

"My, my consciousness… Has not completely faded… Sa, yuri…"

He tried to stay in control but the haze was was losing control. His body wasn't responding to his commands. His emotions were wack. He wanted to kill, to rule, to destroy, to lust. It was kinda like fainting.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa Blood, GIVE ME BLOOD… KILL, KILL, KILL EVERYONE WHO OPPOSES ME"

***Manifestation***

Noya laughed joyfully as control fluctuated between himself and Guren. They ran through the halls of the school slaughtering anyone and everyone they saw. Down the hall, Noya giggled when he saw a student. It was a girl.

He swung the blade and revealed in the terrified look the girl had. The blade suddenly stopped.

"...run…" Guren whispered weakly and the girl took off running.

Noya frowned.

"You should have killed her. She probably insulted you before. Called you weak. Laughed at your subordinates and took joy at their humiliation." Noya said as they continued on.

They left a sea of blood in their wake and piles of corpses. Noya forcefully pressed for more control.

They killed the next student they came across and the one after that. Noya laughed and cheered as he felt the sticky red blood cling to Guren's body. It was great.

***Manifestation***

Guren heard fighting coming from the girl's bathroom and he charged in. Immediately he cut down the Hyakuya Sect soldiers.

"... Guren…?"

It was Goshi and he was surrounded by enemies.

 **Lv.23 Norito Goshi**

Guren gave a demonic smile and the rest of the enemies fell. They were reduced to lumps of flesh. The blood splattered over him, but his blade remained clean.

Lying limply on the ground, Goshi stared at Guren and said.

"… Uwah~, seriously? I survived even in this kind of situation? Really amazing."

Goshi relaxed.

"… Hey Guren."

Guren did not reply; he was fighting for control. Noya was trying to move his blade and kill Goshi. He couldn't let that happen. There were many students that had fell before him. He wouldn't kill Goshi.

"If you always run to save me, I might fall in love with you ya know?"

He attempted such a joke, but Guren did not respond. Only stared at him. His eyes were dark. Eventually, the whites of his eyes returned to normal.

"Huh, huh, huh"

He panted.

His expression was a strange mix of pain and joy.

"… Hey, Guren?"

"…"

"Guren?"

Finally, Guren spoke.

"Blood…"

As though pained, as though delighted, he said.

"More, give me more blood…"

Guren looked at him. His eyes went wide, like those of a hunter that has found its prey. He grinned widely and lifted his blade.

"Kill you too… Guh, ah… Hurry and run away, idiot. I… Ah~~ HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA… Ghah, guh, ah…"

He could not form coherent sentences.

"Come on Guren. Killing those Hyakuya Sect bastards felt great. I bet killing this guy would feel even better." Noya complained.

As for Goshi,

"… Hey hey hey, what's going on? It feels like, something's wrong with you…"

But at this moment, Guren's face twisted. Clutching at his chest, he retreated at a vicious pace. Retreated out of the toilet. Noya's control was getting stronger. He couldn't fight it any longer. He couldn't stay otherwise, Goshi would become his next victim.

He had to get away from him while he still had the chance.

"Wait!"

Goshi called after him and Guren ran harder.

"Demon!?"

"Monster!?"

Everyone he encountered, Guren killed without exception. Noya could have this pleasure as long as he didn't get his friends. They screamed loudly as they died with fear dancing across their eyes.

It felt good. He killed about 120 Hyakuya Sect members and gained 4 levels.

 **You have leveled up one level.**

 **You have leveled up one level.**

 **You have leveled up one level.**

 **You have levelup up one level.**

The blue panels followed him as he moved through the school. He didn't stop to close them.


End file.
